Where Do We Go From Here
by Aleisha Potter
Summary: Dean had kept his promise, he was living an apple pie life, he had a family... then Sam showed up on his doorstep, very much alive, with a partner and an angel in tow, could life get any weirder?  And what the heck happened to Castiel?


**Where Do We Go From Here**

**Prologue**

Sam Winchester walked along the deserted sidewalk, the chilly wind biting at his face as he listened idly to Gabriel chatter. They had been searching for Castiel for months now, but they were no closer to finding the other angel than they had been when they started.

Gabriel thought it was a fruitless task. He didn't believe the younger angel would have any of the answers Sam was looking for anyway. He didn't think Cas knew who had dragged Sam's sorry ass out of the cage.

The archangel didn't seem to understand Sam's need to know, either. They knew who had resurrected Gabriel, Kali had no problem claiming all the glory for that deed, but even the ruthless goddess had had no answers when it came to Lucifer's vessel.

"He's in there," Gabriel spoke up, coming to an abrupt stop in front of a dilapidated old building bearing a crooked sign that read _The Lord's Kitchen: Shelter and Food Pantry._

"Are you sure?"

The shorter man looked at him with outrage.

"Are you questioning my abilities?"

Sam rolled his eyes before making his way towards the dirty door. He pushed it open and stepped in out of the cold, feeling the angel slip in behind him.

Walking around the wall, his eyes surveyed the room until they fell on a familiar person. Nudging Gabriel, he pointed towards the man in question.

Sam watched the dark haired man as he sat alone at a rickety table, a bowl of soup sitting desolately in front of him and two wimpy looking rolls sitting haphazardly on a napkin. He watched deep blue eyes as they stared pointedly at the offending bowl as if daring it to mock him.

"Is it _him_?" Sam asked the angel that stood with him.

"No. He's all human. Sorry, bub," the shorter man told the hunter, clasping a hand roughly on his shoulder.

"I thought you were following his grace?"

"I was. And I can still feel it lingering around him, but, that is no angel. Better luck next time."

"Gabriel."

"Sorry, sorry. I meant, 'Oh, Sam, I am _so_ sorry, but that isn't Castiel. I know that must break your heart-'"

"Shut up," the hunter snapped at the archangel, his temper sorely tested.

"What? Look, kid, I know that you seem to think my little brother will have all your answers, but… more than likely, he doesn't know any more than we do and his vessel probably knows even less."

"Jimmy must know something. You said demons have been tracking him."

"They're probably just following the remnants of Castiel's grace, same as we did."

Sam started to retort when the man they had been watching jumped up from his table, glaring at a woman who had just entered the soup kitchen. The hunter's hand went to the knife he kept on him at all times, noting how the woman's eyes flashed black.

He watched Jimmy's eyes flash in anger, an answer to the demon's challenge before he bolted directly at her.

"Whoa!" Gabriel bit out before blinking out of existence.

"What the hell?" Sam muttered, "Wussy angel," before taking off across the room, heading for the brawl that was taking place in the middle of the sparsely populated dining area.

Before he could reach the combatants, Gabriel blinked in just behind the snarling demon. He grabbed her by the shoulder and wrenched her away from the furious man. Slapping his hand down against her forehead, the archangel burnt away the demon in a flash of bright light.

Sam watched Gabriel gently lay the woman down and turn to Jimmy, an arrogant smirk on his face. He wasn't expecting the punch the taller man threw at the angel.

"Fuck!" Jimmy spit out as his hand slammed against the immovable face.

"Is that the thanks I get for saving your ass?" Gabriel asked.

"Did I ask for your help? No, I didn't, so fuck off, Dickhead."

"Hey, guys, easy. Why don't we get out of here, I think the lady in charge is calling the police and we don't want to be here when they come," Sam suggested.

Gabriel rolled his eyes, grabbed both Jimmy and Sam by the arm and whisked them away.

When Sam opened his eyes again, he was standing in the middle of the motel room he had rented earlier that afternoon.

"Fucking angels! What do I have to do to get rid of you people!" Jimmy snarled, ripping his arm away from Gabriel.

"Jimmy," Sam started, but froze when ice blue eyes full of hate landed on him.

"You. I just can't win, can I?" he asked, shoulders finally slumping in defeat.

"How long have you been…?" Sam motioned with his hands, unsure how to phrase his question.

"Free?" Jimmy supplied, dropping listlessly into one of the rickety wooden chairs that sat against the water stained wall of the motel room.

Sam nervously scratched the back of his neck.

"Well, uh… yeah, that's one way of putting it, I suppose."

"About a year," he answered.

"Do you have any idea where Cas went?"

"Probably back to Heaven. I think that's what he told your brother. My memories of that time are a little fuzzy," he sneered.

"What _do_ you remember?" Sam asked hesitantly.

"I remember you killing me," Jimmy told him bluntly.

Sam flinched.

"That wasn't me."

"Yeah, I know. Didn't make it any more pleasant."

"Oh, well, another dead end. Where to now, Sammy?" Gabriel asked, turning his back on the former vessel.

"Who the hell are you?" Jimmy growled.

"Does it matter?" the angel asked, turning his arrogant smirk on the glaring man.

"No, it doesn't, all you angels are the same."

"Oh, I can assure you, I'm nothing like my brothers."

"Gabriel, leave him alone," Sam spoke up, knowing where this was going.

"Gabriel? As in, _the _Gabriel? Messenger of God?" Jimmy asked, eyes widening.

"Yup, that's me. Okay, time to go," he said, reaching out for Sam.

"Just wait, Gabriel. Jimmy, what are you doing here? Why aren't you home, with your family?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but Amelia asked me not to come back. She said they were just starting to cope and she didn't think they could handle me coming back, yet again, especially if I just disappeared later on."

"The war's over," Sam pointed out.

"Well, someone obviously didn't tell the demons that. They just keep coming after me. I just want to get on with my life, or what I have left of my life. I've lost numerable jobs, been run out of town after town, all thanks to those black eyed bastards."

"So, what are you doing? Just, roaming around?"

"I'm trying to survive. Beyond that? Who gives a damn."

Sam was quiet for a minute, deliberating on his next words. When he finally came to a decision, he spoke up.

"Come with us. I can teach you how to fight the demons, we can probably find a way to mask you from them as well," he offered.

Jimmy raised his eyebrows in surprise then glanced over at Gabriel.

"I think I'll pass."

"Jimmy, come on. Where else do you have to go?" Sam asked imploringly.

"Oh, don't get your panties in a twist, Jim-Bo, I'm not riding in that rusty bucket of bolts Sam likes to call a car. You probably won't even see me all that much," Gabriel spoke up, rolling his eyes at the still glaring man.

"Gabriel," Sam warned then turned back to Jimmy. "He's right though, he doesn't travel with me he just… appears, usually at the worst possible time."

"Where's your brother?"

Sam looked away at that question, thinking about Dean and the promise that his brother had surprisingly kept.

"He's living his life," he answered simply.

Jimmy seemed to study him for a long time before he finally spoke up.

"He doesn't know you're alive, does he?"

Sam aimed a glare at the other man, realizing he was probably giving him what Dean would call a "bitch face", but he really didn't care.

"Are you coming, or not?"

"I guess I don't have any where else to go," Jimmy finally conceded.

"Great. We leave tomorrow morning. Now, let's go get a drink. Something tells me you could use one. Gabriel? Don't you have somewhere you're supposed to be?"

The angel rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Not that I think he'll have any useful information. I'll meet you in two days, Flagstaff. Don't be late."

With that, Gabriel blinked out.

Sam rolled his eyes again, admitting if only to himself that he was actually starting to grow rather fond of the errant archangel.

Apparently the same could not be said for Jimmy.

"Stupid, arrogant prick," he muttered under his breath.

Sam just laughed.

"How 'bout that beer?"

"Sure, but I only have about two dollars to my name, so you better be paying."

"No problem, let's go."

**A/N: I was really not pleased with season six so far, so… I decided to write my own. Lol. Obviously this is cannon up to season five. It is what I wish would happen is season six. Lol. No, seriously, this is just a bit of fun, and it will go towards the humorous side… beware, this will contain female!cas. You have been warned. Yes, there will be some angst and a bit of seriousness, but mostly it's just going to be me, having fun. Enjoy!**


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